What Does The Call Of My Chinchilla Mean?

Is your chinchilla's call low, gentle, and sounds kind of like a chirp?

Does your chinchilla's call sounds like rapid, gentle grunts?

Is your chinchilla's call harsh, highly intense, and noisy, sounding similar to a bark?

The exploratory call is low, gentle, and sounds kind of like a chirp. From the time of birth, chinchillas commonly use this call to let other chinchillas know they’re there. It’s also a sign of being comfortable. So, if you hear your chinchilla chirping, it's a good sign. Excited curiosity seems to be the most common behavioral marker of this call.

Rapid, gentle grunts are likely chinchilla's contact call and most always occur at the time of some type of encounter. The encounter may be with a desired treat or object, with a loving owner or another chinchilla. This call means that your chinchilla is expressing to the group (other chinchillas and/or people) that they’re pleased and content.

The bark call serves as a defensive alert to others and is present when the chinchilla is agitated and feels threatened. This call is usually directed toward the aggressor or the threat. Chinchillas often use the bark call to warn others that there is danger or fighting. It’s common chinchilla behavior, after hearing this call, to hide and wait before re-assessing the situation.

The chinchilla’s alarm call resembles an ear-piercing squeal or shriek. Alarm calls are rarely produced. However, although they’re not produced often, this call, in a domestic setting, most often occurs when the animal is cornered, which makes sense, as the purpose of these calls is to communicate to predators. If the chinchilla is in pain, they may produce an alarm call, too.